Vol. 29 No. 1 (2025): BEYOND DECARBONIZATION toward a Climate Neutral urban environment
Essays and Viewpoint

Biogenic materials for the decarbonisation of the built environment

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  • Francesca Thiebat,
  • Fiamma Morselli
Francesca Thiebat
Dipartimento di Architettura e Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italia
Fiamma Morselli
Dipartimento di Architettura e Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-16598

Published 2025-07-31

Keywords

  • biogenic materials,
  • whole life carbon,
  • climate neutrality,
  • prefabrication,
  • sustainable architecture

How to Cite

Thiebat, F., & Morselli, F. (2025). Biogenic materials for the decarbonisation of the built environment. TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, 29(1), 108–117. https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-16598

Copyright (c) 2025 Francesca Thiebat, Fiamma Morselli

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

This contribution highlights the need to reflect on the environmental, cultural, and social value of biogenic construction materials and their role in the roadmap towards climate neutrality. Based on a mapping of European case studies, the essay investigates the diffusion of biogenic materials in architecture, questioning whether their use is limited to experimental cases or if it can be at the base of a decarbonisation strategy. The analysis conducted reveals the urgency of adopting technologies and practices that promote the diffusion and scalability of biogenic materials to respond to energy and environmental regulations, as well as  to contribute effectively and sustainably to the demand for net-positive materials, as alternatives to conventional ones.

This contribution highlights the need to reflect on the environmental, cultural, and social value of biogenic construction materials and their role in the roadmap towards climate neutrality. Based on a mapping of European case studies, the essay investigates the diffusion of biogenic materials in architecture, questioning whether their use is limited to experimental cases or if it can be at the base of a decarbonization strategy. The analysis conducted reveals the urgency of adopting technologies and practices that promote the diffusion and scalability of biogenic materials to respond, on the one hand, to energy and environmental regulations and, on the other hand, to contribute effectively and economically sustainably to the demand for net-positive materials, as alternatives to conventional ones.

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References

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